a journey in other worlds-第24章

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Sahara。　　Much　of　this　great　desert；　as　we　know；　has　a
considerable　elevation；　though　part　of　it　is　still　below　the
level　of　the　Mediterranean。
　　　
〃Perhaps　a　more　striking　proof　of　this　than　are　the　remains　of
fishes　and　marine　life　that　are　found　there；　is　the　dearth　of
natural　harbours　and　indentations　in　Africa's　northern　coast；
while　just　opposite；　in　southern　Europe；　there　are　any　number；
which　shows　that　not　enough　time　has　elapsed　since　Africa's
upheaval　for　liquid　or　congealed　water　to　produce　them。　　Many　of
Europe's　best　harbours；　and　Boston's；　in　our　country；　have　been
dug　out　by　slow　ice…action　in　the　oft…recurring　Glacial　periods。　
The　Black　and　Caspian　Seas　were　larger　than　we　now　find　them；
while　the　Adriatic　extended　much　farther　into　the　continent；
covering　most　of　the　country　now　in　the　valley　of　the　Po。　　In
Europe　the　land　has；　of　course；　risen　also；　but　so　slowly　that
the　rivers　have　been　able　to　keep　their　channels　cut　down；　proof
of　their　ability　to　perform　which　feat　we　see　when　an　ancient
river　passes　through　a　ridge　of　hills　or　mountains。　　The　river
had　doubtless　been　there　long　before　the　mountains　began　to　rise；
but　their　elevation　was　so　gradual　that　the　rate　of　the　river's
cutting　down　equalled　or　exceeded　their　coming　up；　proof　of　which
we　have　in　the　patent　fact　that　the　ancient　river's　course
remains　unchanged；　and　is　at　right　angles　to　the　mountain　chain。　
From　all　of　which　we　see　that　the　Eastern　hemisphere's　crescent
hollowof　which；　I　take　it；　the　Mediterranean；　Black；　and
Caspian　Sea　depressions　are　the　remainshas　been　gradually
filled　in；　by　the　elevation　of　the　sea's　bottom；　and　the
extension　of　deltas　from　the　detrital　matter　brought　from　the
high　interior　of　the　continents　by　the　rivers；　or　by　the　combined
action　of　the　two。　　Now；　since　the　Gulf　of　Mexico　has　been
constantly　growing　smaller；　and　the　Mediterranean　is　being
invaded　by　the　land；　I　reason　that　similar　causes　will　produce
like　effects　here；　and　give　to　each　continent　an　area　far　greater
than　our　entire　globe。　　The　stormy　ocean　we　behold　in　the　west；
which　corresponds　to　our　Atlantic；　though　it　is　far　more　of　a
mare　clausum　in　the　geographical　sense；　is　also　destined　to
become　a　calm　and　placid　inland　sea。　　There　are；　of　course；
modifications　of　and　checks　to　the　laws　tending　to　increase　the
land　area。　　England　was　formerly　joined　to　the　continent；　the
land　connecting　the　two　having　been　rather　washed　away　by　the
waves　and　great　tides　than　by　any　sinking　of　the　English
Channel's　bottom；　the　whole　of　which　is　comparatively　shallow。　
Another　case　of　this　kind　is　seen　in　Cape　Cod　and　the　islands　of
Martha's　Vineyard　and　Nantucket；　all　of　which　are　washing　away　so
rapidly　that　they　would　probably　disappear　before　the　next
Glacial　period；　were　we　not　engaged　in　preventing　its　recurrence。　
These　detached　islands　and　sand…bars　once　formed　one　large
island；　which　at　a　still　earlier　time　undoubtedly　was　joined　to
the　mainland。　　The　sands　forming　the　detached　masses　are　in　a
great　processional　march　towards　the　equator；　but　it　is　the
result　simply　of　winds　and　waves；　there　being　no　indication　of
subsidence。　　Along　the　coast　of　New　Jersey　we　see　denudation　and
sinking　going　on　together；　the　well…known　SUNKEN　FOREST　being　an
instance　of　the　latter。　　The　border　of　the　continent　proper　also
extends　many　miles　under　the　ocean　before　reaching　the　edge　of
the　Atlantic　basin。　　Volcanic　eruptions　sometimes　demolish　parts
of　headlands　and　islands；　though　these　recompense　us　in　the
amount　of　material　brought　to　the　surface；　and　in　the　increased
distance　they　enable　water　to　penetrate　by　relieving　the　interior
of　part　of　its　heat；　for　any　land　they　may　destroy。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XI。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　JOVIAN　NIAGARA。

Four　days　later；　after　crossing　a　ridge　of　mountains　that　the
pressure　on　the　aneroid　barometer　showed　to　be　about　thirty…two
thousand　feet　high；　and　a　stretch　of　flat　country　a　few　miles　in
width；　they　came　to　a　great　arm　of　the　sea。　　It　was　about　thirty
miles　wide　at　its　mouth；　which　was　narrowed　like　the　neck　of　a
bottle；　and　farther　inland　was　over　one　hundred　miles　across；　and
though　their　glasses；　the　clear　air；　and　the　planet's　size
enabled　them　to　see　nearly　five　hundred　miles；　they　could　not
find　its　end。　　In　the　shallow　water　along　　　　　　its　shores；　and　on
the　islands　rising　but　a　few　feet　　　　　above　the　waves；　they　saw
all　kinds　of　amphibians　and　sea…monsters。　　Many　of　these　were
almost　the　exact　reproduction　in　life　of　the　giant　plesiosaurs；
dinosaurs；　and　elasmosaurs；　whose　remains　are　preserved　in　the
museums　on　earth。　　The　reptilian　bodies　of　the　elasmosaurs；
seventy…five　feet　in　length；　with　the　forked　tongues；　distended
jaws　and　fangs　of　a　snake；　were　easily　taken　for　the　often
described　but　probably　mythical　sea…　serpent；　as　partially　coiled
they　occasionally　raised　their　heads　twelve　or　fifteen　feet。
　　　
〃Man　in　his　natural　state；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃would　have　but　small
chance　of　surviving　long　among　such　neighbours。　　Buckland；　I
think；　once　indulged　in　the　jeu　d'esprit　of　supposing　an
ichthyosaur　lecturing　on　the　human　skull。　　'You　will　at　once
perceive；'　said　the　lecturer；　'that　the　skull　before　us　belonged
to　one　of　the　lower　order　of　animals。　　The　teeth　are　very
insignificant；　the　power　of　the　jaws　trifling；　and　altogether　it
seems　wonderful　how　the　creature　could　have　procured　food。'　
Armed　with　modern　weapons；　and　in　this　machine；　we　are；　of
course；　superior　to　the　most　powerful　monster；　but　it　is　not
likely　that；　had　man　been　so　surrounded　during　the　whole　of　his
evolution；　he　could　have　reached　his　present　plane。〃

Notwithstanding　the　striking　similarity　of　these　creatures　to
their　terrestrial　counterparts　that　existed　on　earth　during　its
corresponding　period；　there　were　some　interesting　modifications。　
The　organs　of　locomotion　in　the　amphibians　were　more　developed；
while　the　eyes　of　all　were　larger；　the　former　being　of　course
necessitated　by　the　power　of　gravity；　and　the　latter　by　the
greater　distance　from　the　sun。
　　　
〃The　adaptability　and　economy　of　Nature；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃have
always　amazed　me。　　In　the　total　blackness　of　the　Kentucky　Mammoth
Cave；　where　eyes　would　be　of　no　use　to　the　fishes；　our　common
mother　has　given　them　none；　while　if　there　is　any　light；　though
not　as　much　as　we　are　accustomed　to；　she　may　be　depended　upon　to
rise　to　the　occasion　by　increasing　the　size　of　the　pupil　and　the
power　of　the　eye。　　In　the　development　of　the　ambulatory　muscles
we　again　see　her　handiwork；　probably　brought　about　through　the
'survival　of　the　fittest。'　　The　fishes　and　those　wholly　immersed
need　no　increase　in　power；　for；　though　they　weigh　more　than　they
would　on　earth；　the　weight　of　the　water　they　displace　is
increased　at　the　same　rate　also；　and　their　buoyancy　remains
unchanged。　　If　the　development　of　life　here　so　closely　follows
its　lines　on　earth；　with　the　exception　of　comparatively　slight
modifications；　which　are　exactly　what；　had　we　stopped　to　think；
we　should　have　expected　to　find；　may　we　not　reasonably　ask
whether　she　will　not　continue　on　these　lines；　and　in　time　produce
beings　like　ourselves；　but　with　more　powerful　muscles　and　eyes
capable　of　seeing　clearly　with　less　light？　　Reasoning　by　analogy；
we　can　come　to　no　other　conclusion；　unless　their　advent　is
anticipated　by　the　arrival　of　ready…made　colonists　from　the　more
advanced　earth；　like　ourselves。　　In　that　case　man；　by　pursuing
the　same　destructive　methods　that　he　has　pursued　in　regard　to
many　other　species；　may　exterminate　the　intervening　links；　and　so
arrest　evolution。〃
　　　
Before　leaving　Deepwaters　Bay　they　secured　a　pail　of　its　water；
which　they　found；　on　examination；　contained　a　far　larger
percentage　of　salt　and　solid　material　than　the　oceans　on　earth；
while　a　thermometer　that　they　immediately　immersed　in　it　soon
registered　eighty…five　degrees　Fahrenheit；　both　of　which
discoveries　confirmed　them　in　what　they　already　knew；　namely；
that　Jupiter　had　advanced　comparatively　little　from　the　condition
in　which　the　water　on　the　surface　is　hot；　in　which　state　the
earth　once　was。
　　　
They　were　soon　beyond　the　estuary　at　which　they　had　stopped　to
study　the　forms　of　life　and　to　make　this　test；　and　kept　on　due
north　for　several　days；　occasionally　rising　above　the　air。　　As
their　familiarity　with　their　surroundings　increased；　they　made
notes　of　several　things。　　The　mountains　covered　far　more
territory　at　their　bases　than　the　terrestrial　mountains；　and　they
were　in　places　very　rugged　and　showed　vast　yawning　chasms。　　They
were　also　wooded　farther　up　their　sides；　and　bore　but　little
snow；　but　so　far　the　travellers　had　not　found　them　much　higher
than　those　on　earth；　the　greatest　altitude　being　the　thirty…two
thousand　feet　south　of　Deepwaters　Bay；　and　one　other　ridge　that
was　forty　thousand；　so　that；　compared　with　the　size　of　the　planet
and　its　continents；　they　seemed　quite　small；　and　the　continents
themselves　were　comparatively　level。　　They　also　noted　that　spray
was　blown　in　vast　sheets；　till　the　ocean　for　miles　was　white　as
milk。　　The　wind　often　attained　tornado　strength；　and　the　whole
surface　of　the　water；　about　what　seemed　to　be　the　storm　centre；
frequently　moved　with　rapidity　in　the　form　of　foam。　　Yet；
notwithstanding　this；　the　waves　were　never　as　large　as　those　to
which　they　were　accustomed　on　earth。　　This　they　accounted　for
very　easily　by　the　fact　that；　while　water　weighed　2。55　times　as
much　as　on　earth；　the　pressure　of　air　was　but　little　more　than
half　as　much　again；　and　consequently　its　effect　on　all　but　the
very　surface　of　the　heavy　liquid　was　comparatively　slight。
　　　
〃Gravity　is　a　useful　factor　here；〃　observed　Cortlandt；　as　they
made　a　note　of　this；　〃for；　in　addition　to　giving　immunity　from
waves；　it　is　most　effective　in　checking　the　elevation　of　high
mountains　or　table…lands　in　the　high　latitudes；　which　we　shall
doubtless　find　sufficiently　cool；　or　even　cold；　while　in　tropical
regions；　which　might　otherwise　be　too　hot；　it　interferes　with
them　least；　on　account　of　being　partly　neutralized　by　the　rapid
rotation　with　which　all　four　of　the　major　planets　are　blessed。〃
　　　
At　sunrise　the　following　morning　they　saw　they　were　approaching
another　great　arm　of　the　sea。　　It　was　over　a　thousand　miles　wide
at　its　mouth；　and；　had　not　the　photographs　showed　the　contrary；
they　would　have　thought　the　Callisto　had　reached　the　northern　end
of　the　continent。　　It　extended　into　the　land　fifteen　thousand
miles；　and；　on　account　of　the　shape　of　its　mouth；　they　called　it
Funnel　Bay。　　Rising　to　a　height；　they　flew　across；　and　came　to　a
great　table…land　peninsula；　with　a　chain　of　mountains　on　either
side。　　The　southern　range　was　something　over；　and　the　northern
something　less　than；　five　thousand　feet　in　height；　while　the
table…land　between　sloped　almost　imperceptibly　towards　the
middle；　in　which；　as　they　expected；　they　found　a　river　compared
to　which　the　Mississippi　or　the　Amazon　would　be　but　a　brook。　　In
honour　of　the　President　of　the　Terrestrial　Axis　Straightening
Company；　they　called　this　great　projection；　which　averaged　about
four　thousand　miles　across　by　twelve　thousand　miles　long；